Lipman Provides Clout for Royal

Warning to opposing pitchers: Brian Lipman of Royal High is hazardous to your earned-run average.

He doesn’t just hit the ball--he hits home runs.

“We know if he hits the ball in the air, it’s going to be up against the fence or over it,” Royal Coach Dan Maye said.

Lipman’s sixth-inning home run tied the the score against Thousand Oaks on Wednesday and enabled the Highlanders to pull out a 5-4 Marmonte League baseball victory in eight innings.

It was the 13th career home run for the 6-foot, 225-pound junior first baseman, breaking the school record of 12 that was held by Shane Slayton. It came on the first pitch of the sixth inning against Thousand Oaks ace Chris Cordeiro, who was unable to maintain a 4-0 lead.

Once the Highlanders (6-1-1, 2-0 in league play) tied the score, the Lancers (4-3, 1-1) knew they were in trouble.

In the eighth inning, Bobby Egan singled off reliever Tracy Goebel (2-1). After a strikeout, Lipman singled, sending Egan to third.

Casey O’Quinn was at the plate when Goebel’s pitch got away from catcher John Smith, scoring Egan.

Coach Bill Sizemore of Thousand Oaks argued the pitch hit O’Quinn in the foot. O’Quinn admitted afterward the ball hit his foot.

It was a bitter defeat for a Thousand Oaks team that doesn’t usually lose when Cordeiro has a four-run lead.

But Royal, the defending Marmonte champion, pressured Cordeiro. The Highlanders scored three runs in the third inning, two on a double by Ryan Wilson.

They received an exceptional outing from reliever Joe Shanahan (1-1), who limited the Lancers to one hit in four shutout innings.

“They don’t stop battling,” Cordeiro said of the Highlanders. “They never give up.”

Said Sizemore: “No lead is safe with them. They want to beat you any way they can.”

Lipman’s home run saved the Highlanders.

Cordeiro threw him a slider and Lipman hit it high to right field, where Doug Hutton kept dropping back, hoping to make the catch.

Hutton leaped at the fence but the ball cleared his glove. It was Lipman’s fourth home run this season and 17th run batted in.

“You try to hit the ball hard and good things will happen,” Lipman said.

Shortstop Billy Lokin had three hits for Thousand Oaks, making him 18 for 30.